Automatic controller for electric circuits.



No. 798,082. I PATENTED AUG. 29, 1905.

A. SUNDH. AUTOMATIC CONTROLLER EOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.7,1903.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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ATTOHNEY No. 798,082. PATENTED AUG. 29, 1905.

A. SUNDH.

AUTOMATIC CQNTROLLER POR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.. APPLICATION FILED PEB. 7.190s.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 798,082. I PATENTED AUG'. 29, 1905. A. SUNDH.

AUTOMATIC CONTRCLLER FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

APPLICATION FILED TEIL?. 1903.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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/9 A fr30 @JJM www@ o 31110644 loz @@VZ @JWM No. 798,082. EATENTED AUC.29, 1905.

I A. SUEDE. AUTOMATIC CONTROLLER ECR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

APPLICATION FILED PEB. 7. 1903.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST SUNDI-I, OF YONKERS, NET/V YORK, ASSIGNOR TO OTIS ELEVATORCOMPANY, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEV JERSEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

`Patented. Aug. 29, 1905.

Application filed February 7,1903. Serial No, 142,427.

To all whom, it 771mg/ concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST SUNDH, a citi- Zen of the United States,residing in the city of Yonkers, in the county of Westchester and Stateof New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement. inAutomatic Controllers for Electric Circuits, of which the i following isa specification.

My invention is an electromagnetic circuit- IO controller desig'ned moreparticularly for electric motors.

The invention consists, first, in the construction and arrangement ofthe electromagncts for closingl and opening the contacts I5 whereby theyuse current only during the time said contacts are being moved; second,in the construction and arrangement whereby through electromagneticdevices the resistance in the circuit is automatically varied;

2O third, in the construction and arrangement whereby the successiveresistance-controlling devices may be timedvto operate successively andduring such periods as may be chosen, so as to secure a predeterminedinterval between the successive operations; fourth, the constructionpermitting of reverse action of all or some of the main switches atwill; iifth, an improved form of reversing-switch particularly adaptedfor use with other parts of my device; sixth, certain improved means forinterrupting the arcs at points of circuit rupture, and, seventh, themeans whereby gradual movement of adjustable velocity is attained incach main switch while at the same time a rapid action is insured at themoment of malring circuit, thus insuring good contact at the point ofclosing.

My device is especially intended for use with translating devicesactuated by alternat- 40. ing currents, and more especially withalternatingcurrent motors. It is, so far as I know, the first in the artwherein the current to the electromagnetic operating means is cut off assoon as the operation of said means is insured. Ordinarily the currentcontinues in said means, thus wasting' energy and causing' needlessexpense, all of which is here saved. Again, the current alternationsalways cause chattering and other noises in continuously- 5O energizeddevices. This also is here wholly avoided; and, again, owing to the verybrief and momentary employment of the current heavier currents may beused in my device without danger of overheating.

A preferred form of this invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, where- Figure 1 is a diagram of switches, solenoids, andcircuits as used in said invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of mypreferred reversingswitch, showing the solenoids in section. Figs. 3 and4 are vertical and horizontal sections of details. Fig. 5 is a sectionalview of one member of the reversing-switch in upright position, and Fig.6 is a side View of one of the main-circuit closers.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, the preferred reversing-switch will be lirstdescribed as related to a motor, since it will often be found best tocombine the relay switch-contacts which prepare the circuits for theautomatic main switches with the reversing-switch of a motor to becontrolled by all of said switches. At 1 is shown a motor-commutator onwhich bear the brushes 2 and 3. The shunt field-coil is shown atResistance-coils are shown at 6.

In Fig. 1 are shown four stationary motorcontacts in thereversing-switch, mounted upon bases of slate or other insulatingmaterial and numbered 8, 9, 10, and 11. Contacts 8 and 10 are connectedelectrically to each other and to the conductor 12, leading to the brush2. Contacts 9 and 11 are also mutually connected and from them leads theconductor 13 to the outer ends of resistance-coils G. Although in thediagram of Fig'. 1 these various contacts 8 to 11 are shown separatelyplaced, (and may be so arranged in practice, if desired,) yet it ispreferred to arrange them side by side in pairs, 10 and 11 beingtogether on one side and 8 and 9 on the other. This is made clear inFigs. 2 and 5, the contact 10 being' hidden behind 11 and 9 behind 8 inFig. 2. Corresponding to the fixed contacts 8 to 11 are four movablecontacts or terminals 14, 15, 16, and 17, each carried on its ownmetallic lever, these levers being mounted in pairs oninsulating-supports 18, as at 19 and 20. (See Figs. 2 and 5.) Oneterminal in each pair, as 14 and 17, is permanently in electricalconnection with the negative feed-wire, while the other terminal ofeachpair, as 15 and 16, is connected to the positive feed-wire. Underthe terminals 8 and 11 are placed the lixed in- IOO sulatedrelay-terminals 21 and 22, and opposite these are respectively fixed therelay-contacts 23 and 24. The movable knife-terminals 25 and 26 swing,respectively, between 21 and 23 and between 22 and 24, being fixed uponand electrically connected to the metallic levers 20, which carry themovable switchcontacts 14 and 17. The outermost fixed contacts 21 and 22are electrically connected, as by a wire 27. (See Fig. 1.) Theinsulatingsupports 18 are carried upon levers 28 and 29, pivoted,respectively, at 30 and 31. Springs 32, attached to pins 33, and attheir opposite extremities to the pivoted levers 28 and 29, act in awell-known manner to hold said levers away from a middle or uprightposition, whether tilted to left or right. These springs impart a snapaction to the switches. Separate three-armed levers 34 and 35 are usedto impart motion to the levers 28 and29. These levers are pivoted onpins 36 and 37, passing through slots 38 and 39 in the levers 28 and 29.The pins 40 and 41 are adjustable in the slots 42 and 43 and enter slots44, Fig. 5, in the levers 28 and 29. It is evident that on tilting thethree-armed levers one way or the other corresponding movement will beimparted to the levers 28 and 29, respectively.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the switch-levers 28 and 29 are shown inclined towardeach other, and this position is produced by the action of the middlesolenoid 42% and its core 43%. Ihe inner arms of 34 and 35 overlapwithin a slot 44% in the core 43ee near its upper end. (See Figs. 3 and4.)

As shown in Fig. 2, when the core 43% is pulled down by the coil 42% itdepresses both of the inner arms of the levers 34 and 35; but the slot44ie is so long that when one of the arms, as 35, is tilted upward andraises the core 43% (see Fig. 3) the other lever-arm, as 34, is leftbehind, the bottom of the slot 44% not rising high enough to move it.

Inspectionv of Fig. 1 will show that if the two levers 28 29 could betilted away from each other, so as to close circuit simultaneously at 8,9, 10, and 11, there would be a dead short circuit on the main line.Accidental occurrence of this position is prevented by the safety-rod 45passing through openings 46 in the two levers 28 and 29 and carryinglimiting-nuts 47. Consequently only three positions of the parts arepossible: First, the two levers may tilt toward each other as shown;second, they may be both tilted to the left; third, they may be bothtilted to the right. Movement of the lever 29 to the right is producedby the solenoid 48 and its core49, connected, as shown, to theright-hand arm of the lever 35. Similarly the solenoid 50 and its core51 act to tilt the lever 28 to the left. Beneath each of the solenoids42%, 48, and 50 is a closed air-chamber 52, in which plays a plunger 53,connected to the solenoid core above it. Each chamber 52 communicateswith the outer air below the plunger by means of a passage 54, thecross-sectional area of which is adjustable by means of a screw-valve55. fhen the solenoid acts, the resulting downward movement of the coreis retarded by the air compressed beneath the plunger, and the degree ofthis retardation is regulated by the valve 55. In the lower part of eachof these airchambers 52 is a valve 57, which allows the air to passfreely into the chamber when its plung'er 53 is ascending, but is closedwhen 53 is descending, so that the retarding effect is only during thedescending motion of the plunger 53. While I have shown pneumatic meansin this connection as being most convenient, my invention covers the useof cylinders and plungers employed as described and claimed with anyfluid. v

By the means above described not only is the time of operation madeadjustable, but a gradual movement of the movable terminals is securedwhich prolongs the period of operation of the switch. At the moment ofmaking circuit, however, it is desirable that a quick strong action ofthe solenoid be permitted, so as to insure bringing the terminalstogether quickly and making' good contact. For this purpose I prefer toprovide a passage for transfer of the air or other fluid around theplunger 53 at the proper moment. This relieves all resisting pressureand allows the core to descend quickly at the moment the contacts cometogether. This passage may be variously arranged and is shown in thedrawings at 56 as a recess in the main chamber 52.

In order to blow out the arcs produced at the contacts when circuit isbroken, I prefer to provide air-tubes 57, ending in jets 58, directed atthe arcing-points, as shown. For driving the air through these tubes Iemploy the upward movements of the plungers 53, the tubes 57 being ledto the tops of the chambers 52. Thus, for example, when solenoid 48 actsto break circuit at 24 26 air is forced through pipe 57 from the spacebeneath the solenoid 421'".

In the automatic main-switch devices (illustrated in detail in Fig. 6and shown below the reversing-switches in Fig. 1) the operatingmechanisms are in many respects similar to those above described.

From Fig. 6 it will be seen that the threearmed lever 59, which throwsthe lever 62, is pvoted at 60 above instead of below the pin 61. Eachsolenoid 63 64 therefore acts to tilt the lever 62 away from itself.rIhe air-tubes 57 are carried past eachother and across the switch, asshown, their operation remaining the same as above described. Thedottedlines 65 and 66 in Fig. 6 indicate the directions given to 56 and 62,respectively, when 64 operates. o

Referring now to Fig. 1, there are shown three pairs of solenoids 63 and64, 67 and 68, 69 and 70. More pairs can be of course used IOO ITO.

when more than three modiiications of the main circuit are desirable.The three pairs of solenoids operate,respectively, the threeswitch-levers 62, 73, and 74. The lever 62 carries an insulatedmain-circuit terminal 76,

- adapted to cooperate with the iixed insulated terminal 77 and alsocarries an insulated relay-terminal 78, which always makes contacteither with the mutually-insulated terminals 81 82 or with 79 80. Theother levers 73 74 carry main terminals 83 84 and relay-terminals 86 87,which cooperate with the [iXed terminals, as shown, in the same manneras above described for the eXtreme left-hand switch in Fig. 1.

A variety of forms ot' manipulator-switch may be employed with theapparatus so far described; butI prefer the simple hand-switch shown inFig. 1, wherein current is carried by wire 89 to the lever 90 and by thelatter to one of the terminals 91 92 93 and 94 96 97 98. Terminals 92 9394 are shown in pairs and are electrically connected, respectively, towires 99, 100, and 101. The switch thus connected when turned one wayfrom the central stopping position shown acts to start the motor in onedirection and when turned oppositely it acts to start the motor in theopposite direction. The gradual modification of motor-circuits isautomatically accomplished by the adjustably-movable solenoids of theautomatic main-switch devices.

The mode ot' operation is as follows: ith the lever 90 in the positionshown the motor is at rest and all the switches occupy the positionsillustrated. To start the motor, the lever is turned to bear upon either96 or 97, according to the direction of motion desired. The operation isessentially the same in either case, and for the purpose of describingit it will be assumed that the lever 90 is turned to the left until itbears upon contact 96. Current passes from the positive feed-wire by 89and 90 to 96. Thence the wire 103 conducts it to solenoid 50 and by 2325 to the terminal 14 and the negative feed-wire. This throws the lever28 to the left, and it will remain in this position until furthermanipulation by the operator. In moving to the left the contact between23 and 25 is broken and so no current will pass through the solenoid 50after it has performed its function of moving' the lever 28. When thelever 28 is in the position just described, the current reaches themotor as -i'ollows: from positive wire to terminals 15 and 9, thence by13, resistances 6, brush 3, armature-coils, brush 2, wire 12,

terminals 8 and 14, and out to negative wire.

The shunt field-coils 5, as shown, are connected directly across themains by wires 89 and 95. In practice the lever 90 will cause theabove-described action as it sweeps over 96 and will finally rest upon98, when the gradual automatic modifications of the motor-circuitsbegin.

For this purpose the current enter-- ing 98 goes by wire 104 to theautomatic main-switch devices, there being a branch from this wire tothe solenoids 64, 68, and of the three switches. Theonly branch closedat first, however, is that through 64, which goes 'from 81 to 82 byterminal 78, through solenoid 64, and by wire 105 to the common outgoingwire 106. This is connected to the negative feed-wire by wire 107through terminals 21, 25, and 14. Solenoid 64 being thus energized, thelever 62 is tilted to the left, the solenoid 64 is cut out at 81 82, sothat Vno energy is wasted in it, and two new circuits are formed. First,76 and 77 are brought together, and the current coming in at 13 is thuscarried by wire 108 to the resistance-coil 6,

thus short-circuiting a portion of said coil,

the remainder of the main circuit being as above iirst described;second, contact 78 closes the circuit between 79 and 80, and a branchcircuit from 104 is established through the second solenoid 68, wherebysaid solenoid tilts the lever 73 to the left. The terminal 83 havingbeen brought against 109, current from wire 13 now goes through wire 110to the resistance-coil 6, thus short-circuiting another portion of theresistance. At the same time circuit o'tl 68 is broken and thebridging-terminal 86 closes the circuit otl solenoid 70.

This brings 84 against 111. and current vfrom 13 will now take wire 112,and the entire resistance-coil 6 will be shortcircuitcd. lt will benoticed that in each instance the automatic switch-solenoid has produceda change which under ordinary conditions tends to speed up the motor,whilel at the same time it has closed the circuit ot' the next solenoidin order. It is obvious that by suitably rcgulating the air-outletbeneath each solenoid core and plunger the time elapsing between thesuccessive changes can be indepei'ideutly adjusted at will, and thus theentire regulation of circuits with respect to the operation oi' themotor is made automatic and is placed beyond the control of the personhandling the lever 90. lt is desirable that, it' necessary,

the motor-circuit can be instantly broken by movement ot' the lever 90.This is done by bringing said lever back to the position shown in Fig.1, when current entering the terminal 91 takes wire 115 to solenoid 42and out by 21, 25, and 14. This brings the lever 28 back to the positionshown in Fig. 1, opening all motor-circuits, as well as breaking thecircuit through 42" at 21. It, however, it is desired to stop the motorgradually, the lever 90 is first brought back to the terminal 94, whencurrent passes bythe wire 101 to solenoid 69,

which causes the arm 74 to be thrown back to the right, and in so doingit breaks its own over terminals 93 and 92 throws current into wires 100and 99 and successively, but in re- IOO Ai'ect oi'dei' of steps and inthe prearranged allowance of time.

A variety of modiiications may be made in the individual switchconsti'uctions herein shown, as also in the relative arrangement and.`the electrical connections thereof, without departing from myinvention, and I am not to be understood Aas limiting' myself to thedetails herein shown and described.

Vhat I claim is` l. In a controller for electric motors, a plurality ofelectromag'netic devices successively operating' to vai'y the strengtho'tl the current in said motor, and automatic means fordenergizing saiddevices, upon the operation et' each, substantially as described.

2. In a controller for electric motors, a plurality of electromagneticcircuit-closers and automatic means for cutting-each out of cii'- cuit,after closing or' its contact-terminals shall have been insured,substantially as described.

3. In a controller for electric motors, a plui'ality of electromagneticcircuit closcrs, means tor successively actuating the same and automaticmeans for cutting each out of circuit a't'ter closing ot'itscontact-tei'minals shall have been insured, substantially as described.

4i. In a controller for electric motors, a plurality ot' movablecontacts, a plurality el' corresponding' iiXed contacts, electromagnetsactuating' said movable contacts, and means vfor controlling the currentto said magnets; whereby said magnets are energized only while actuatingsaid movable contacts, substantially as described.

5. In a controller 'for electric motors and in the motor-cui'rent, aplurality ot' resistances, a plurality of electi'omagneticcircuit-closers associated respectively with said resistances, andautomatic means for successively cutting' said circuit-closers out ofcircuit after closing of their contact-terminals shall have beeninsured, substantially as described.

6. In a controller for el'ectric motors, a plui'ality o't'electromagnetic devices successively operating to vai'y the strength ofcurrent in said motor, means for timing said devices and automatic meansfor denergizing said devices upon the operation of each, substantiallyas described.

7. In a controller for electric motors, a plurality of electromagneticdevices successively operating to vary the strength of current in saidmotor, means for varying the period of opei'atien ci' each device withreference to that or' the othei's, and automatic means for deenergizingsaid devices upon the operation of each, substantially as described.

8. In a controller for electric motors, an electromagneticcircuit-closing' device, an independent electromagnetic device operatingto open said circuit, and automatic means tor dencrgizing said devicesupon the opei'ation of each, substantially as described.

9. In a controller for electi'ic motors, a series ot' i'esistances inthe motor-cii'cuit, electi'omagnetic devices for cutting out saidresistances step by step, and automatic means Yfor denergizing saiddevices upon the operation of each, substantially as described.

10. In a controller Vfor electric motors, a liand-switcli, anelectromagnetic current-reversing device, a sei'ies of i'esistances inthe motor-circuit, electromagnetic devices for cutting' out saidi'esistances step by step, and automatic means 'for denergizing saidcurrentreversing device and said i'esistance-coiitrolling devices uponthe operation of each, sul stantially as described.

11. In combination with a plurality of switch-levers, a plurality or'dasli-pots associated therewith and means for regulating the fluidi'esistance in each dash-pot; whereby the periods of operation of saidlevers may be relatively timed, substantially as described.

12. In combination with a magnetic switch, means operatively connectedto the switch for retarding its movement when closing' the circuit, andfor producing air-pressure when breaking the circuit and means forleading the air thus conipi'essed to the terminals ot' the switch,substantially as described.

I3. In combina-tion with a switch, means for closingv and opening thesaine, a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder connected to said switchclosing and opening means, said piston a1'- ranged to retard the closingmovement ot' the switch and to compress air in the cylinder upon theopening movementoi the switch and a tube leading' from said cylinder tothe switch-terminals and adapted to convey the compressed air to saidterminals, substantially as described.

14. In combination with a switch adapted to close circuits in its twoextreme positions, a separate means 'tor throwing' the switch both ways,a separate cylinder and piston connected to each oli said means eachadapted to compress air for retardation on one side ol the piston andfor arc extinguishment on the other, and a separate tube leading' fromthe latter-named side of each piston to the appropriate contacts of theswitch and conveying' compressed air thereto, substantially asdescribed.

15. In an automatic switch,a pivoted switchlever, two electromag'iietsfor swinging the same on its pivot in relatively opposite directions anda pivoted three-armed lever having two of its arms respectivelyconnected to the armatures ot' said magnets and having' a pin IOO lIO

ISO

carried on the third arm and engaging the switch-lever for moving it,substantially as described.

16. In a switch system, two swinging pivoted levers, means for swinging'either of said levers in either direction and means for preventingsimultaneous inclination of the two levers in opposite directions,substantially as described.

17.A In a switch system, two swinging pivoted levers, means for swingingeither of said levers in eitherdirection and atie-rod passing throughboth levers and carrying stops at its ends for limiting the degree ofsaid separation of said levers, substantially as described.

18. In a switch system, two swinging pivoted levers, a three-armedpivoted lever for operating each switch-lever, said latter levers eachhaving one arm projecting toward the other lever, a solenoidoperatively7 connected to said latter-named arms and a separate solenoidoperatively connected to the free arm of each three-armed lever,substantially as described.

19. In a switch system, two switch-levers, a separate operating meansfor each, a solenoid having a core so connected to said operating meansas to tend to move both together when moved in one direction and, whenmoved by one of said means, to leave the other one unmoved,substantially as described.

20. In a switch system, two swinging pivoted levers, a solenoid havingacore carrying an open slot, a separate lever 'foroperating eachswitch-lever, said latte-r levers each having an arm projecting intosaid slot, the levers being so placed with regard to said solenoid andso proportioned relatively to said slot, substantially as described,that when the core is raised by movement of one lever the other leverremains stationary and that the operation of the solenoid on one or theother lever always results in bringing' them both to the same position,substantially as described.

21. In combination with an electrical translating device a controllercomprising' a handswitch, an electrically operated reversingswitch forthe translating device controlled by said handswitch, a number ofautomatic switches for said translating' device and terminals in saidreversing-switch for preparing the circuits of said automatic switches,substantially as described.

Q2. In combination with an electrical translating device anelectromagnetic reversing'- switch, a hand-switch forcontrollingthcsame, a num ber of automatic switches `for modifying the circuits ofsaid translating device, a common positive and a common negative wirefor all ot' said automatic switches, a terminal in said hand-switch Jforconveying current to one of said common wires and terminals in saidreversing-switch controlling admission of current to the other of saidcommon wires, substantially as described.

23. In combination with an electrical translating' device, two maincircuit closing switches, a common means for opening circuit at both,separate means for causing each to close circuit, automatic switches formodifying the circuits of the translating device and a handswitch havinga movable member adapted to convey current to four tiXed terminals alsoin said switch, one ot' said terminals leading to the commoncircuit-opening device, a second to all of the automatic switches andthe other two respectively to the two main circuit-closing devices.substantially as described.

24. Two main circuit-closing' switches, separate electromagneticcircuit-closing motive devices for each, a common electromagneticcircuit-opening means for both, a series of automatic switches andcircuits modilied thereb v; in combination with a hand-switch havingdiametrically-placed contacts respectively connected to the common maincircuit-opener and all the automatic switches, and between these twocontacts on the hand-switch in each direction, individual contacts foreach automatic switch and acontact for one of the main circuit-closingmeans, substantially as described.

25. In combination with circuits to be modiiied, a series ofelectromagnets operatingswitches for said circuits, electric connectionswhereby when the rst switch is thrown forward the others are thereuponalso successively thrown forward, automatic means for cutting eachmagnet out of circuit when it moves its switch and means forestablishing an operating-circuit for the first switch in the series,substantially as described.

26. In combination with circuits to be modified, a series of switchesfor said circuits, separate electromagnetic means for throwing eachswitch respectively forward and backward, means whereby eachforward-throwing means energizes the next in series, a hand-switch forenergizing the first forward-throwing means and terminals in said switchwhereby the backward-throwing means may be energized one by one at will,substantially as described.

27. In combination with circuits to be modified, a series of switchesfor said circuits, separate electromagnetic means for throwing eachswitch respectively forward and backward, a circuit-breaker in serieswith each ot' said means, each operated by the identical electromagneticmeans with which it is in circuit, a piston and cylinder connected toeach switch and adapted to compress air on one side ot' ythe piston forretarding each forward-throwing means, and to compress air on the otherside of the piston for arc extinguishnient and tubes leading from thelatter-named side ot' each cylinder to the points of currentrupturc,electric connections whereby when the iirst forward-throwing meansoperates the others are thereupon successively operated and means forestablishing circuit through the [irst for- IOO ward-throwing means inthe series, substantially as described.

28. In combination with circuits to be modilied, a series of switchesfor said circuits,

, electromagnetic means Jfor operating each, a

circuit-breaker in series with each of said means, each operated by theidentical electromagnetic means with which it is in circuit, electricconnections whereby, when the first switch is operated, the others arethereupon also successively thrown forward and means Jfor establishingan operative circuit for thc lirst electromagnetic means in the series,su bstantially as described.

In testimony whereol have signed my name to this spec-iiication in thepresence of two witnesses.

AUGUST SUN DH Witnesses:

C. Emin'r'r l/VILsoN, ERNEST W. MARSHALL.

